Patriots Journal: Cole making the most of his opportunity

Tuesday

Aug 28, 2012 at 7:18 PM

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Some players on the bubble of making an NFL team are afraid to talk about their situation during cut week. Defensive back Marquice Cole is the opposite.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Some players on the bubble of making an NFL team are afraid to talk about their situation during cut week. Defensive back Marquice Cole is the opposite. He is more than willing to talk about what he is going through as he attempts to earn a spot with the Patriots.

“It’s a really tough day,” Cole said. “Being on different teams and everything like that, I’ve been through the process of being here for training camp and getting released. Some guys, you become friends with them and the reality of it is you may never see them again in your life. It’s a tough day.”

Cole was not drafted when he finished his career at Northwestern in 2007. He signed with the Raiders but was cut. He was with the Titans in 2008 and they cut him, too. He joined the Jets in 2009 and, because he played so well on special teams, spent three years with them.

Cole has had a solid training camp and, in a positive sign for him, was given extensive playing time against the Buccaneers last Friday. He tied for the team-lead in tackles, with five. He also had two pass breakups.

“I think he did a number of good things, as he has the whole training camp,” coach Bill Belichick said. “(He’s) made plays in the kicking game, made plays on defense.

“I played OK,” Cole said. “I left some plays on the field. I could have caught those two pass breakups I had; I could have turned them into interceptions. It’s work that I have to do, obviously. I guess it was OK.

“I believe I’m getting more comfortable with the guys and the system,” he said. “You play faster once you understand what you’re doing instead of being out there thinking each play, ‘What do I have on this or that?’ Once you become comfortable in the defense, then, you can play freer.”

Even after the first round of cuts, the Patriots still have 14 defensive backs on their roster. Last season, they carried nine, so some of those who will play Wednesday night against the Giants will not be with the team next week. Cole said he tries not to think about that.

“Never give up. Keep grinding,” he said. “It’s the hardest part, but you have to take the good with the bad. It might happen to some guys, and you just have to fight through it. If this is what you really want to do, go home, work hard and wait for your next opportunity.

“You just have to focus in and whenever your name is called, just go out there and make the most of your opportunity at that time. I believe you just have to stay focused on your job and know what your job is, and whenever you’re called to do your job, you have to be able to do it,” he said.

Ebner looks like a keeper

While many players are sweating cut day, rookie Nate Ebner is one who has reason to be confident that he will be staying around.

The rookie sixth-round draft pick has been one of the biggest surprises of the preseason. He was a walk-on at Ohio State who played almost exclusively on special teams. The former rugby star is doing that with the Patriots. But he also is getting a lot of work at safety.

In Friday’s game at Tampa, he tied Cole for the team-lead in tackles. A week earlier, Ebner had an interception against the Eagles.

“I feel better every time I step out on the field,” Ebner said. “I take every opportunity that I get to get better.”

Ebner said he does not think about how unusual his transition has been.

“I don’t really think about the difficulty of it. I just try to take it one step at a time, learn everything as best as I can and then, when I go out there, try to apply it the best I can.”

From humble roots

Zoltan Mesko spoke Monday night, when he was named recipient of the Patriots’ Ron Burton Award for Community Service, how he has a different perspective than others because of his background.

As important as football is, there are other matters that are more important. The Pats’ punter was born in strife-torn Romania and literally feared for his life.

“I survived a war,” he noted. “I was coming from a really low point growing up, with communism and a very adverse economic situation. Coming over here, I’m very grateful for where I am.

“It happens by luck that I am here,” he said. “When my dad applied for the green card lottery, there were 20 million applicants and 55,000 winners. That’s a percentage in itself that tells you I am lucky to be here.”

Injury front

Patriots who did not practice Monday and likely will not be available against the Giants include Patrick Chung, Shane Vereen, Stevan Ridley, Brandon Spikes and Nick McDonald, all of whom apparently were hurt in the Eagles game.

According to a report by the Boston Globe, the reason Wes Welker missed two days, including the game in Tampa, was because he went home to Oklahoma due to a death in the family. Welker had said only that he was unavailable “for personal reasons.”

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.